Lawyer Reacts To Ex-Cops’ Appeal
Thursday, September 27, 2007 at 15:03
The lawyer for Neil Stonechild’s mother says arguments by former police officers to quash inquiry findings are not valid.
Donald Worme represents Stella Bignell, Stonechild’s mother.
This week, Worme attended the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal where former Saskatoon officers Brad Senger and Larry Hartwig asked the court to quash the Stonechild inquiry findings that the two had Stonechild in their custody the last night he was seen alive, and that injuries found on his body appeared to have been caused by handcuffs.
Stonechild’s body was later found frozen to death outside Saskatoon.
Worme says the officers were arguing the inquiry turned into a continuation of the criminal trial and that they did not have safeguards that come with a trial, such as cross-examining witnesses.
He argues that wasn’t the case, insisting there was heavy cross-examination during the inquiry.
Worme thinks the appeal court will have a decision within three to six months.
He says it will take that long because the justices have to go through all of the findings from the inquiry.
The two officers are scheduled to appeal their job dismissals at a Saskatoon Police Commission hearing next month.